Macquarie University

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 6 November 2026.

About Macquarie University

Macquarie University was established by the Macquarie University Act 1964 and opened to students on 6 March 1967.^[1] Its Wallumattagal Campus in Macquarie Park lies 15 km from the Sydney central business district on 126 hectares of parkland. The university says it is the only university in Australia with its own metro station and that its campus includes an on-campus hospital.^[2]

It reports more than 46,000 students and more than 247,000 alumni, and awards more than 10,000 degrees a year.^[2] The same page gives the number of countries of origin as 117 in one sentence and as 115+ in another.^[2] Wikipedia lists 44,015 students for 2023.^[1]

How is Macquarie University ranked?

Macquarie states that it is 126th in the world and 11th in Australia in the QS World University Rankings 2027, and 161st in the world (9th in Australia) in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027.^[3] A national media list for the QS 2027 edition also puts Macquarie at 11th in Australia with a global rank of 126.^[10]

On the same list, UTS is 9th (equal 87th in the world), RMIT 10th (119th) and Curtin 12th (189th).^[10] The university also lists subject results, for example 23 subjects in the world top 200 in the QS subject rankings 2025.^[3] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at Macquarie University?

Macquarie has four faculties: Arts; Macquarie Business School; Medicine, Health and Human Sciences; and Science and Engineering.^[1][8] Examples of international courses we read, each with a CRICOS registration code (the national code for courses open to international students):

• Bachelor of Commerce: three years full time, CRICOS 048246D.^[5]
• Bachelor of Arts: CRICOS 001357G.^[4]
• Bachelor of Engineering (Honours): CRICOS 087876F.^[6]
• Master of Information Technology: two years full time, CRICOS 083790M.^[7]

Sessions start in February (Session 1) and July (Session 2); for 2027 the course pages give 22 February and 26 July.^[5]

How much does Macquarie University cost for international students?

All programmes for international students are full fee-paying. Fees are set per credit point and revised each year.^[9] The course pages show an estimated annual fee for a standard full-time load and a start in 2027:

Macquarie says these fees may increase each year and that, for courses longer than one year, you pay the fee current in the year you enrol. The real cost depends on the units you choose and on credit for prior learning.^[5] The Bachelor of Commerce costs A$615 per credit point.^[5] The figures come from the pages’ international view; the pages show them as 2027 estimates, not as 2026 fees.^[4][6][7]

Commencement fee

When you accept an offer you pay a commencement fee, usually between A$16,000 and A$23,500 depending on the course. It is deducted from your first-session tuition, not added to it.^[9]

Other costs

Additional costs are textbooks, living costs, Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) and the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).^[9] See our Study in Australia guide and the Australia overview for living costs and visas.

How do you apply to Macquarie University?

International applicants who are not current high school students in an Australian Year 12 pathway, the International Baccalaureate in Australia or New Zealand NCEA Level 3 apply either directly to Macquarie online or through an authorised agent. Applicants in those Australian school pathways apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).^[11]

• Check that your qualification is recognised and that you meet the English requirement for your course.^[11]
• In some circumstances applications are accepted only via an authorised agent.^[11]
• If you receive an offer, you accept it and pay the commencement fee.^[11][9]

We give no deadlines here because they change every year. Check the course page for your start date. The page does not describe the student visa; see the Study in Australia guide.

Which English level do you need?

For most undergraduate and postgraduate courses Macquarie asks for the “Competent” level: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with 6.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking. In the table that applies from 1 March 2026, the Master of Business Administration and some health leadership programmes need 7.0 overall with 6.0 in each band. Law, exercise and sports science and clinical science degrees need 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each band. Medicine, physiotherapy and several clinical psychology programmes need 7.0 overall with 7.0 in reading, listening and speaking and 6.5 in writing.^[8]

The page lists higher levels again for teaching degrees (7.5 overall in the table valid until 28 February 2026), so check the current table for your course. Macquarie also accepts other tests, approved foundation programs and its own English language programs.^[8]

More about studying in Australia

• Australia: best universities
• Study in Australia: complete guide
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

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